CapSU supports bio-fuel production program
Roxas City -- The Capiz State University (CapSU) thru its Research, Development and Extension Center based in Barangay Buri-as, Mambusao, Capiz has ongoing projects in support to the government's over-all effort to develop alternative fuels to cut down fossil fuel imports.
The bio-fuel production and utilization is also aimed to provide employment and livelihood opportunity to rural communities and further boost earth-friendly vehicle emissions.
CapSU-RDE Vice-President Geronimo L. Gregorio said in a report that the university has identified coconut, jathropa and sweet sorghum for bio-ethanol production in the province.
The school has a 64-hectare Coconut Breeding Trial Unit (CBTU) since early 1990's which houses a germplasm collection of 86 cultivars consisting of 10 coconut hybrids, 24 dwarf, and 52 tall varieties with a of 5,048 total palm stands, the report noted.
The CBTU was acclaimed as the world's biggest collection of coconut genetic resources among state colleges and universities by the International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (COGENT) based in Malaysia and the Bureau for the Development of Research in Tropical Oil Crops (BUROTROP) in France in 1999.
A nursery for large scale production of jathropa seedlings for massive planting complimented by the 10-hectare plantation for seed, grains and processing purposes has also been established by the university.
Jathropa also known as tuba-tuba or kasla among Ilonggos is a perennial inedible, pest resistant shrub or tree which grows fast with little or no need for maintenance, adapted to marginal soils with low nutrients. Its bio-fuel is biodegradable, renewable (source), safe and clean and can be blended with petro-diesel in any proportion.
The school has also completed sweet sorghum research and development projects such as Growth and Yield Performance of Sweet Sorghum Varieties for Bio-Ethnaol Production in the Province of Capiz; Bio-ethanol from Sweet Sorghum: Growth and Yield Performance of ICRISAT Sweet Sorghum Varieties Applied with Varying Levels of NPK Fertilizer; and Sweet Sorghum for Bio-Fuel: Varietal Performance of ICRISAT Sweet Sorghum Varieties Grown in Various Population Densities.
Sweet sorghum is an annual crop which matures early, drought tolerant and has higher sugar accumulation and biomass production potential than sugarcane. It can also be utilized as feeds for livestock and a good material in the production of syrup, jaggery, and other similar products for human consumption. (PIA)